Hygiene On Hand For Disadvantaged Youth

Primary health and
wellbeing is something we may take for granted. Not this sector though.

The
importance of hygiene kits for underprivileged people cannot be overstated.

This
was made abundantly clear at a recent event sponsored by the Positive Impact
Community Resource Center. Kits provided by this and other 7 non-profit
centers, provide the basics that are so essential for those who don’t have
access to such items.

Positive Impact Community Resource Center sponsored the event. There were over 70 people in attendance. Ages range from 13-17.

Although
naturally everyone without resources is affected, this showcase was aimed at
youngsters from ages 13-17.

They
also teach teenagers the role that hygiene plays in their everyday lives,
information that may not have received elsewhere. It was illustrated that a
simple act of washing hands can provide a barrier against infection.

Cuts
and scrapes should also be attended to, as these could also become infected.
Any infection, the teenagers were told, could lead to serious problems, and
even hospitalization.

Children
who grew up with a foundation in good hygiene would naturally have carried this
through to their teenage years, but those from a disadvantaged background would
more than likely not have had basic training. That is why the input from
sources such as the Positive Impact Community Resource Center is so essential.

Challenging development issues

One
of the most challenging development issues in this demographic is menstrual
hygiene. Women and girls often cannot access the very basics such as sanitary
products, or even clean ablution areas offering toilets, showers, and soap.

This
demographic is one that should be monitored carefully in this regard because
these people cannot afford sanitary products. Many have coped with using
unhygienic methods to deal with menstrual issues, resulting in infections that
have not been treated. You can see how
problem upon problem can confound issues.

Menstrual
hygiene issues are being targeted by many social enterprise organizations and
they are aggressively being handled for the very reason they have been so badly
neglected in the past. There is also a massive educational push regarding
menstruation and contraception, topics which were never discussed, but need to
be ‘brought out into the open’ as it were.

Basic
personal hygiene habits for teenagers are also being taught. Body odor, bad
breath, and basic dental hygiene, which should have been dealt with in
adolescence but more than likely wasn’t, is something that youngsters also
don’t like to discuss, but obviously, needs to be.

Adolescents
should be taught that their bodies undergo many changes during the teenage
years, and their personal hygiene will have to keep pace. These youngsters also
need to be schooled in mental health, and the importance of confidence which
comes from sound hygienic habits. If a teenage boy or girl look and smell good,
they are more likely to make friends and blend in well with peer groups.

Peer group pressure

Peer
group pressure, an increasingly urgent issue that even youngsters and parents
from privileged backgrounds find difficult to discuss, must be addressed. This
pressure can leave disadvantaged teenagers devastated. It’s bad enough that
they must figure out where they will get food to eat, or how they are going to
keep themselves clean, with also having to deal with depression and anxiety.

Many
in this group end in in gangs for safety and confidence reasons as bullying is
rife and they have no way to figure out how they are going to defend
themselves. Mental health counseling here is just as important as personal
hygiene. What happens in cases of gang violence, which could result in
hospitalization? How are these costs going to be covered, and what will happen
after treatment?

Personal
health and hygiene, then, is a massive area that is luckily receiving
much-needed attention from many welfare groups across the US. Treating mind and
body issues as one is an educational reach initiative that is gaining momentum
and strength. There are numerous camps and seminars that have taken place and
scheduled for the future in many areas.

Washing
and ironing of clothes are also something outreach centers are involved in –
also a vital part of personal hygiene.

Thankfully
the educators have realized that it is lack of personal hygiene that in many
cases leads to bullying and intimidation from more privileged peers. Once this
issue has been addressed, it is one obstacle less that the teen must face in
his or her future.

It's
also great to know that personal hygiene kits are available from centers such
as Convenience Kits International. These kits, which are distributed at various
centers contain items such as basics for hospital admission, basic shampoo and
deodorant, soaps, toothpaste, toothbrushes and combs, band-aids, razors, and
shaving cream. These kits are available at various outreach centers and for
veterans and the homeless.

Many
of the teens that have been helped would have been at a terrible disadvantage
when seeking employment. Thankfully, the counseling and product help that has
been given by the many that are involved in outreach for these teens have
brought invaluable help that will stand them in good stead.